The Great Ruckus
by Everlude
Summary: The enemies of the Vongola decide to fight back, and the death of Nono's two sons is only the beginning. Caught in the emerging mafia war Tsuna's best hope for survival is the freelance hitman Reborn, but at what cost? [Fem!Tsuna][Adult!Reborn][AU]
1. Chapter 1: The Game Begins

**Disclosure on Rating:** This story is rated T for now, but if it takes a darker turn (violence wise) I will up the rating to M.

* * *

 **The Great Ruckus**

The enemies of the Vongola decide to fight back, and the death of Nono's two sons is only the beginning.

Caught in the emerging mafia war Tsuna's best hope for survival is the freelance hitman Reborn, but at what cost? [Fem!Tsuna][Adult!Reborn][AU]

* * *

 **Chapter One: The Game Begins**

 _Bella Napoli._ Tsuna could see why the city had garnered such a name. True, it was a gritty place with decaying buildings and uneven cobbled streets that scooterists flew over with reckless abandon, but beneath all the grit, the chaos, there was an unmatched bittersweet beauty.

She'd only been in town a few hours, stopping long enough at a quiet hotel to reserve a room for the night and drop off her main traveling bag before setting off to see the sights. The city's Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli had been her first stop.

Remnants of Pompeii and Herculaneum weren't open to the public (she didn't have any interest in the Gabinetto Segreto to begin with, so she didn't mind), but she'd thoroughly enjoyed the Farnese Bull, Artemis of Ephesus, and the multitude of frescoes among other things.

Reaching into her shoulder bag, she pulled out her small compact, pretending to check her lip gloss while really using the mirror to look over her shoulder. Halfway through her exploration of the museum she'd noticed her stalker, and by the looks of things he was still following along; though, he was doing a terrible job of it in her opinion.

Rechecking her mental map of the area, Tsuna turned right down the next narrow street. The quiet, near silent, feeling that originated from somewhere deep inside her nudged her to lose the man quickly. She didn't need told twice. Luckily, the afternoon was waxing old, and soon the evening would be upon them. Naples was far more lively at night according to all the articles and brochures she'd read.

Another right, a quick left. Walking past an open stall Tsuna quickly grabbed a light scarf and hat, laying more than necessary down for payment. "Keep the change," she said as the stall keeper, an older woman with laugh lines and graying hair gave her a crooked smile.

"Grazie."

Another internal nudge, and Tsuna slipped down the nearest narrow street. Quickly putting the hat on her head, and stashing the scarf away for later, Tsuna took a few more turns. If her mental map was correct the Catacombs of San Gaudioso were just ahead. Weaving through the growing number of people as she neared the tourist destination, Tsuna subtly picked up her pace, the voice inside growing more insistent.

Entering through the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanita the Dominicans had built over the catacombs in an effort to incorporate the many frescoes found within, Tsuna made for the main altar at the back, wishing she had more time to properly admire the architecture. A glance behind her as she went down the stairs showed the man had friends. Another person bumped into her, apologizing. Tsuna gave them a distracted nod. The small disturbance had brought the attention of one of the men in her direction.

Her instinct flared. _Run._

Turning and descending into the cool depths, she sought out a dark corner behind a stone wall. Hand going to her bag, Tsuna felt around until her hands slipped over the cool metal. Hana and Kyoko always said she kept odd things in her bag, but they may just prove handy yet.

Pulling out the scissors, Tsuna pulled off her new hat. Whoever these men were, they didn't have good intentions. Her gut told her that much, and unfortunately her gut seemed to only know how to speak in absolute truths.

Securing her hair in a quick ponytail, Tsuna took the scissors to the spot just above the elastic. Her hand hesitated for a moment when she heard voices.

"She's in here somewhere. The catacombs aren't very big. Don't let her get away or the boss'll have our heads."

"We'll go right, you two take the left. Pichoni, stay here in case she doubles back."

"Right."

A moment later her hair was much shorter than it had been in a long time. A quick twist of the hair in the front and a snip gave her bangs she hadn't had in a long time either. Stuffing the scissors and hair back into her bag, she pulled out the scarf she'd stashed there earlier. They'd seen her in the hat, so it disappeared into the bag as well.

Folding the scarf with practiced hands, she soon had her head and lower half of her face covered. It helped some with the musky smell that permeated the air. Slipping out of her hiding spot, she snuck deeper into the small maze of catacombs.

By pure luck, she found a tour group on their way out and easily slipped herself into the middle, making sure to keep her head down. They walked right past two men in suits. When they reached the stairs, she made sure to make her presence as small as possible, blending with the crowd as they walked right past the man she was sure was left to watch for her.

Dispersing from the group, Tsuna made a beeline for a lost and found section. Her own coat was put in the box after a quick empty of the pockets, and she picked out a new one with a cap too. Pulling the scarf down to rest around her neck, she threw on her new clothes and made her way out onto the crowded street. The cool autumn breeze tussled her much shorter hair — she'd need to get it professionally cleaned up.

Still, her inner voice wouldn't calm down. Glancing around, she could see why. Just how many friends did the first guy have? And what did they want with her? Everything in her body was screaming at her to run, but her mind knew that would only draw attention.

At the purring sound of a scooter motor coming up from behind, Tsuna skittered to the sides of the street with the rest of the pedestrians. The scooter came to a stop near her, and looking up, Tsuna saw a man in a suit with a fedora somehow still in place on his head holding a hand out in her direction.

 _Go_ , her mind whispered, urged. _Safe_ , it seemed to hiss. Without a moment's hesitation, she reached out and took the hand, finding herself on the back of the scooter, wrapping her arms around the man's waist to keep from falling off.

Soon, they'd left the catacombs and her unwanted followers behind as they zipped through the crowded evening streets of Naples. Tsuna had brought a hand up to keep her hat in place, and silently enjoyed what she could of the scenery as they passed. Her mental calculations told her they were nearing the area her hotel was in.

They stopped a street away, the man turning to look over his shoulder at her. Dark obsidian eyes bore into her own. "If you can't carry it, leave it behind."

"Wha?"

"We've bought some time, but they'll converge here sooner than later, now go." Staring into the dark depths of his eyes, Tsuna felt something inside her shift. It was a split second decision, but she narrowed her eyes and nodded.

"How much time can you buy me?"

"Depends." Dark eyes flashed dangerously. "Why do you need it?" His hands tightened on the handles.

"Ninety minutes. If you can give me that then I'll be able to transform beyond recognition." Tsuna continued her stare down with the man, trying to decipher what was going through his head.

"Sixty. Beyond that more will swarm this area than I want to deal with."

Tsuna bit her lower lip. That was definitely pushing it for the transformation she had in mind, but she'd make it work."Fine," she said, whipping out a paper and pen from her bag, "but I'll need you to return with these items and five minutes to spare." Shoving the note and a clip of cash into the man's hand, she hopped off the scooter.

"I'm not your errand boy."

"Not the time to argue Mr. Whoever-you-are," Tsuna gave him a glare. "It'll be worth it, I swear." He stared at her before shaking his head.

"Fifty minutes, Tsuna. Not a second more." Letting out a huff, Tsuna didn't bother asking how he knew her name. He obviously knew more about what was going on than she did. Instead, she turned and took off as the man revved the scooter back up.

The biggest thing was taking care of her hair. Luckily, she'd seen a salon just down the street from her hotel. Jogging there, Tsuna let out a sigh of relief that they took walk-ins and there was no line.

"Oh my, what happened to your hair!" The stylist exclaimed as Tsuna told her what she wanted done with it.

"My little sister thought it would be fun to cut it." Tsuna sighed, putting on an annoyed look. "Can you do what I asked quickly? I have a date tonight."

"Just leave it to me," the woman replied in a professional manner as she set about fixing Tsuna's hair. "I can have this done in twenty minutes."

"Grazie." Watching the stylist get to work, Tsuna let her mind get down to business. She needed to disappear off the map. When that guy (whatever-his-name-was) got back, even he couldn't recognize her. She hated when her instinct told her to trust complete strangers, but it hadn't been wrong yet.

So, a disguise she could live in. Her overall impression was this trouble wasn't going away anytime soon. Well, she'd go for the complete opposite of what they were looking for. As for the personality? Something she could maintain without flaw… Staring herself in the eyes as more hair left her head with each snip, Tsuna smirked. Yes, that would work nicely.

When the haircut was finished, Tsuna ran a quick hand through her hair. It now sat in a messy tapered look with her hair coming forward from the back giving her long bangs.

"I must say, while it is a man's hairstyle, it quite suits you and your facial features." Tsuna gave the stylist a smile while she rang her up.

"Yeah, thanks for fixing it so fast. Can I get some black hair dye and styling creme to go?" With a pleasant "Of course!" the stylist finished ringing her up. Taking her bag, Tsuna jogged back down the street. By her estimate almost thirty minutes had gone by. This was going to be a close call.

Reaching the hotel she skipped the elevator, taking the stairs two at a time up to the fourth floor. Her room door hadn't even finished slamming shut when she pulled out the dye box and ripped it open.

Shucking the coat she'd taken, Tsuna stood in front of the bathroom sink running the dye through her hair as fast as her fingers could fly, making sure to get all the way to the root; especially in areas the roots would be easily seen. If she'd had more time she would have let the stylist do it, but that wasn't an option.

Satisfied it was thoroughly into her hair, Tsuna washed her hands off and tore open her suitcase, grabbing out the important things like her passport. Her over the shoulder traveling bag was quickly stuffed with the few things she absolutely needed. Taking off her top and bra, Tsuna bound her chest with bindings, glad that she'd left them in when she packed. Over that she threw a gray t-shirt that could function as an undershirt.

Snatching her makeup kit, Tsuna rushed back to the bathroom. It wouldn't be her best job due to time constraints, but she'd make it work. Her friends didn't call her The Chameleon for nothing after all. Several minutes later with a few secret tricks and shortcuts she knew, Tsuna's face had taken on a far more masculine look; though, even as a man she was more fine featured.

Turning on the tub, she ran her hair under the hot water, getting rid of the excess dye and loose hairs from the haircut. It wasn't the full time for the dye to set, but black usually took very well being the darkest color, so it would pass with a few of her tricks for now.

Hands toweling at her hair to get it dry, Tsuna started at the sound of the window to her room opening. A nervous glance out the bathroom door revealed the guy from the scooter. "Did you get what I need?" Letting go of the towel to catch the package thrown her way, Tsuna grinned.

The man didn't seemed too impressed as he turned to look back out the window. "This isn't going to work." Ignoring him with an eye roll, Tsuna retreated into the bathroom. If he was here she had five minutes to finish her ruse.

Three minutes later had her in all new clothes that she'd had the guy grab for her. Burgundy pants, shoes with matching socks, and belt with a light grey long sleeve button up that had the faintest of pinstripes to it. Over that she'd put on a charcoal grey vest, a mustard yellow tie, and a blue pocket square was folded up neatly in her breast pocket.

Despite the time being cut short, her hair had taken to the black dye quite well. It only took half a minute to have it styled, still damp as it was.

"Ninety seconds, and then we're leaving whether you're ready or not." Came the guy's voice. Smirking, Tsuna put on her last touches by pulling her colored contact set out of her makeup kit. Warm brown eyes turned a deep ochre.

"Sixty!"

Breathing in, Tsuna let the breath out in a huff, leaving herself behind in the process. The person staring back at her in the mirror wasn't Tsuna anymore. Snapping her makeup kit closed, she exited the bathroom, threw the kit into her traveling bag and threw that over her shoulder. Everything left in her larger suitcase — mainly clothes — could be left behind.

"I finished with thirty seconds to spare old man. Are we going out the window since that's how you came in?" Her voice was several tones deeper now — a rich tenor with a warm timbre to it. The man twitched, spinning to face her, gun drawn in his hand.

"Whoa, easy there," Tsuna gave a lazy smirk as her hands raised up to show she was harmless. The man's eyes widened minutely before returning to normal as a smirk graced his face.

"Not—"

Something inside Tsuna screamed, _run now!_ Responding simultaneously as she was want to do sometimes, Tsuna had her foot on the windowsill and was out the window and onto the roof. The hand closer to the guy had grabbed his sleeve, bringing him along, but to his credit he landed on his feet like he expected it all along.

Up above, they could hear the crash of the door to her room being smashed in. Sharing a glance with the man, Tsuna crossed the roof as lithe as a cat, disappearing from the sight line of her room's window with ease. It helped that the night was cloudy, so the moon couldn't help give them away.

On the opposite side of the building, Tsuna began lowering herself down. At the sound of clattering feet against the roof tiles she froze, eyes darting up and to the side. The man had stopped, turning back to face their pursuers. A strange muffling whistle sounded several times as bodies started dropping like flies.

A silencer. Whoever this guy was, he was good, and he was deadly serious.

Forcing her eyes away, and not thinking about the fact that those men were most likely dead now, Tsuna soon found herself within dropping distance to the ground after using the various window sills and rough walls to climb down. Dangling, she let go, dropping the last few feet to the ground with a quiet thud.

 _Hide!_

Sprinting across the street, Tsuna hid behind several large boxes in the narrow alley. With a frown she watched as more men seemed to appear out of nowhere. It's like they were literally growing out of the woodwork. Creepy.

"It's only one guy, and we're just trying to capture one little girl! It shouldn't be this complicated!"

"Yeah, but none of us have seen the girl since we lost sight of her earlier at the catacombs, and I think that guy up there is him!"

"Him?"

"You know, that guy. The one everyone's starting to say might be the greatest—" Tsuna flinched as a bullet went in the guy's forehead and came out the back. Her stomach curled in disgust. If it hadn't been so long since she'd eaten, she probably would have thrown up then and there. Sure, Hibari beat the tar out of people, but this…"

Without a sound, the guy appeared next to her with annoyance radiating off him in waves. "Two streets over there's a dark green '71 Mangusta. Get in, start it, and wait for me."

A set of keys fell into Tsuna's hands, and before she could protest he'd vanished like he'd appeared. Rolling her shoulders, Tsuna got up from her crouched position and took off. Hopefully the car wasn't a stick shift. She was terrible with those.

She made it two streets over without any issues. Now, to find the...Mangusta? She let out a silent huff. Car models were not her thing, but colors she could do. Dark green. Looking left and right, Tsuna narrowed her eyes. A lot of things looked black in the dark.

"Left." If Tsuna was being herself at the moment she would have jumped in surprise. As it was, she just blinked and smirked as she followed after the guy.

"Just so ya know, if it's stick, I can't drive," Tsuna called quietly after him, chuckling when he thrust his hand behind him for the keys. Shoving them in his hand, Tsuna ran for the passenger side of the car he pointed to.

Getting in as soon as the door unlocked, she was seated with the door shut, seatbelt on, and bag at her feet before the engine had fully turned over. The guy revved the engine up, smoothly shifting from first to second gear and a few seconds later up to third.

"So...mind telling me your name? You obviously know mine, and it's getting kind of old referring to you as 'that guy' in my head." Resting her elbow on the door, Tsuna rested her head in her hand as she looked over at her mysterious companion. He shot her a strange look before letting out what could almost be called a snort.

"It's Reborn." Tsuna gave a half hearted shrug. Weird name for a weird guy. Figures. The glare Reborn shot her told her he wasn't impressed with her reaction. She just smirked and made herself a bit more comfortable.

"Fine, fine. So, Reborn, think you can fill me in on a few details here? I was supposed to be enjoying a nice vacation right now, not running from some random guys that don't seem to have my best interests at heart."

Watching as Reborn checked the mirrors, Tsuna stretched her legs out a bit. The voice inside her had finally receded. They were safe, for now.

"The fact that you noticed they were following you says something about how terrible their skills are."

"If you knew me better, I'd be hurt by your lack of faith in my skills, Reborn." Looking out the window at the passing street lamps, Tsuna couldn't help but wonder where they were going now. "Though, they were pretty terrible at it."

"Smaller famiglias usually lack talent." Turning back to look at the driver, Tsuna raised an eyebrow.

"Something tells me you're not talking about regular family here, and since we're in Italy...in Naples of all places…" Tsuna let out a low groan. "Why do I have mafia goons after me, Reborn?"

"Because your father is high up in the most powerful mafia family in Italy, and you and the last remaining son of the current leader are the only eligible heirs left."

Tsuna blinked. That...that was not what she was expecting, but… "Explains why the jerk never comes home," she muttered under her breath, catching Reborn's stare in the rearview mirror.

"What?"

"For a civilian you're taking this all rather well."

"Gee, thanks." Tsuna stared back at the eyes glaring at her in the mirror with an air of nonchalance. "Par for the course really. Can't say I'd ever have called my life normal. But..." Shifting to get more comfortable, Tsuna adjusted the seat back a setting. "It ain't about how hard you can hit. It's how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."

Reborn gave a low hum as comment. "They say that the flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of them all."

Tsuna let out a snort, she couldn't help it. "I quote the great Rocky Balboa and your comeback is from Mulan?" Chuckling, she gave Reborn an impish grin. "I'm out to avoid the Italian mafia, not save all of China."

"Even if you get a talking dragon for a sidekick?"

"You gonna pull Mushu out of your suit coat there? Cause if so I'm totally down for saving China."

If Tsuna had to guess, Reborn seemed amused by her answer if his loosening grip on the steering wheel was anything to go by. Perhaps now would be a good time to try and get a few more answers.

"Do I get to know what our destination is?"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that life is a journey, not a destination?"

Tsuna raised an eyebrow. "Going philosophical on me now? With an American poet no less? Harsh. Couldn't you quote one of the greats instead?"

"You can stop that, you know," Reborn turned his head to actually look at her instead of exchanging glances in the mirror as they both kept an eye out for anyone following them.

"Stop what?"

"That."

Chuckling, Tsuna shook her head. "You have something against tenors? Unfortunately, my voice doesn't go low enough for baritone like yours."

Reborn gave her an appraising look. "Where did you learn to…" he swept his gaze up and down her in a quick motion.

Folding her arms over her chest, Tsuna sighed. "I've always liked theater and the arts and languages. Being the only child and not having a dad around, my mom did everything she could to help me with my passion. She signed me up for classes, ordered tapes and CDs when those came around. Books, videos...I don't think she meant for it to happen, but it was something we really started to bond over."

The thought occuring to her, Tsuna shot Reborn a look. "My mom isn't messed up in all of this is she?"

"So far, no, and measures are being taken to keep it that way and keep her safe."

"Why has this only become an issue now, and not for the duration of my life?"

It was both fascinating and a little unnerving to watch Reborn's eyes turn into dark pools of anger and nothingness at the same time. "There was a breach in the Vongola." Tsuna assumed that was the family name that she belonged to. Clam...weird. Maybe they first started as fishermen or something. "Only a handful of people even knew you existed, but somehow that information got out and I was brought in to clean up the mess."

"Wait, so you're not part of the Vongola family?"

"Nope. I'm a freelancer, more recently known as the world's greatest hitman."

"Are there actually competitions for that sort of thing?"

"Not officially, but when word gets around that you never fail a hit and anyone who gets in your way ends up dead — including other hitmen — it leaves a certain impression behind."

"Charming." Tsuna tried very hard not to think about the men on the roof, or the one she'd watched the bullet go through. Her attempts weren't working very well. Her hands slowly clenched into clammy fists underneath her folded arms.

"I told you, drop the act."

Giving Reborn a smile that was only slightly strained, Tsuna shook her head. "Sorry, but the act is the only thing holding me together right now. Until you think it's safe for a few hours for me to fall to pieces and gather myself back up so that I can deal with this, the act isn't going anywhere."

Reborn's lips turned down just barely at the edges, but he didn't press the issue. Grateful, Tsuna tucked her chin to her chest and closed her eyes. Maybe she could catch a little bit of sleep.

* * *

 _ **RESEARCH NOTES**_ \- google and blogs about Italy were my best friends.

 _Bella Napoli_ \- Beautiful Naples

 **Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (National Museum of Archeology)** \- is one of the most ancient and important museums in the world. The first impulse for the museum was given when Charles III of Bourbon promoted the excavations of Pompeii. At about the same time he also wanted to set up a unique Museo Farnesiano based on the rich collection inherited from his mother Elisabeth Farnese. It was his son Ferdinand IV who chose the current location to house both the relics from Pompeii and the Farnese collection.

 **Farnese Bull** \- (Italian: Toro Farnese), formerly in the Farnese collection in Rome, is a massive Roman elaborated copy of a Hellenistic sculpture. It is the largest single sculpture yet recovered from antiquity. Along with the rest of the Farnese antiquities, it has been since 1826 in the collection of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale Napoli in Naples, inv. no. 6002, though in recent years sometimes displayed at the Museo di Capodimonte across the city.

 **Artemis of Ephesus** \- The Ephesian Artemis, the "great mother goddess" also mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 19), was extremely popular in the ancient world, as we might deduce from the fact that copies of her cult statue have been excavated in many parts of the Roman Empire. One of Artemis' characteristics is that she protects fertility.

 **Frescoes** \- a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid, or wet lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting becomes an integral part of the wall. The word fresco (Italian: affresco) is derived from the Italian adjective fresco meaning "fresh", and may thus be contrasted with fresco-secco or secco mural painting techniques, which are applied to dried plaster, to supplement painting in fresco. The fresco technique has been employed since antiquity and is closely associated with Italian Renaissance painting.

 **Pompeii and Herculaneum** \- an exhibit from the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli that is often closed to the public. Housed in the Gabinetto Segreto (secret closet) it is full of highly erotic art that was very popular and mainstream in ancient Roman times.

 **Catacombs of San Gaudioso and the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanita** \- Google catacombs of San Gaudioso and click on the first link.

 **'71 Mangusta** \- the De Tomaso Mangusta is a sports car produced by the Italian manufacturer De Tomaso between 1967 and 1971.

* * *

 _ **END NOTE**_

This was partially inspired by a movie my husband was watching several weeks back called The Saint. I only caught a few minutes of it here and there, but I loved how the guy changed disguises as he ran through the city.

Also, I will be updating Call Her Queen soon. This just took over my brain along with other stuff going on, so for those of you that like that story, don't worry, it's coming.


	2. Chapter 2: Mouse and Cat

**Thank you:** for all the favorites, follows, addition to a community, and reviews. Also, for being patient for this update.

* * *

 **The Great Ruckus**

The enemies of the Vongola decide to fight back, and the death of Nono's two sons is only the beginning.

Caught in the emerging mafia war Tsuna's best hope for survival is the freelance hitman Reborn, but at what cost? [Fem!Tsuna][Adult!Reborn][AU]

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Mouse and Cat**

A hand on her shoulder woke Tsuna up. "We're staying here for the night. Wait here while I go get us a room." Blinking, Tsuna gave a nod, stretching the best she could within the car to wake up. Reborn seemed satisfied, leaving the car to idle while he went inside.

Looking out the window, Tsuna had no idea where they were. The sky was still dark, and the only lights she could see were streetlights. It was either really late or really early. The dashboard lacked a clock, so she couldn't know the exact time. Reaching down by her feet for her bag she opened up a side compartment and pulled out a snack bar.

She'd finished her snack and put the wrapper back in her bag when Reborn returned a few minutes later, key cards in hand. "Here." Tsuna took the proffered key. Turning it over in her hands, she noted the room number, 406.

Once the car was parked, the two entered the hotel. Neither said anything as they waited for the elevator and walked down the hall to their room. Sliding the card into the slot, Tsuna opened the door and let them in.

It was an average room with two queen beds, a tv, desk, and mini fridge.

"Sleep. We'll talk in the morning," Reborn said as he walked past her and sat on the edge of the nearest bed. According to the alarm clock on the stand next to the bed it was getting close to midnight. Tsuna just nodded with a yawn. Looks like she'd be taking the bed near the window.

Setting her bag down on her bed, she pulled out a pair of dark flannel pants and a shirt made of slick athletic material. She was glad she'd thought to throw her pajamas in. Reborn already had his hat, suit coat and tie off. He was in the process of untying his shoes as she entered the small bathroom and shut the door.

After relieving herself, Tsuna used one of the provided wash clothes to clean the makeup off her face. Contacts were placed in a container she kept in her pocket, and she brushed her teeth. Deciding it might help her relax, she hopped in the shower. The hot water helped to soothe her muscles that were stiff from napping in the car. Working out a kink in her neck, she watched some of the black dye from her hair swirl around the bottom of the tub with the water. She'd need to look into getting a better dye job done soon.

By the time she exited the bathroom Reborn had turned off the main light and gone to bed, leaving the lamp closest to her bed on. The dim glow was much easier on her eyes. She put her new clothes, neatly folded, on the chair by the desk, her shoes underneath. Rearranging the pillows into more of a nest shape to her liking, Tsuna slid under the covers and turned off the lamp.

Well over an hour later Tsuna stared unblinkingly at the wall. The shower had relaxed her body, but now her mind was wide awake. It was like her hearing had been magically increased...every breath from Reborn, the quiet whir of the A/C, she could even hear sounds from outside the tightly shut window…

She'd tried to fall back asleep, really, she had, but sleep just wouldn't come. Before, she'd had adrenaline quietly thrumming in her veins, and the resultant crash had allowed her to sleep in the car, but now… Now her mind was fully alert, processing everything that had happened in the past hours. The stalker, his friends, Reborn…

Whenever her eyes shut she saw it again, the bullet ending a man's life mid-sentence, right before her eyes. Maybe it was a bad idea to have her back turned to Reborn, but she couldn't quite bring herself to face him either; which was ridiculous, the guy had obviously saved her life. But still, to so casually kill someone...

He was only a man, Tsuna knew that, but his presence felt so large and looming even now as he slept. How had she missed it before? She was sharing a hotel room with an assassin, one that people were starting to call the world's greatest. A hitman. A trained killer. Shivers ran down Tsuna's spine, covering her arms and legs in gooseflesh. Why had her instinct told her to trust this man? For all that she was used to rolling with the punches, said punches had never involved people dying before. Although, Hibari might have come close once or twice...

When she was four her instinct had saved her from a fire. At the age of six it helped her escape from a gang of thugs. Two years later it told her to trust Hibari even though everyone was scared of him. Maybe Reborn was just a scarier, deadlier Hibari. It would take some adjusting to get used to people being...well, _dead_ around the guy, but he wasn't all bad. He'd metaphorically offered her a talking dragon sidekick in the car. Though, what that really counted for, she wasn't sure.

Tsuna slid her hand down her side to rest just above her hip. She'd ignored the voice a few times. Usually, Hibari showed up in those cases and rescued her; though, it was less of a rescue and more of him looking for a fight. The scar underneath her fingers felt different than the rest of her skin, a constant reminder of what happened when she ignored the voice and no one was around to save her. Would she be sporting another scar this time too if not for Reborn? ...Or would she just be dead? Or Worse?

Her hand slowly closed into a fist, nails digging into her skin. She'd never known her instinct to be wrong. That's why she'd reached out for Reborn's hand without hesitation when it told her to. A hand she now knew was responsible for multiple deaths. She found herself wondering just how bloody it really was — were there different shades of blood or was it all the same after you'd killed once? She doubted it was a question she could bring up in polite conversation, but he'd talked about it so casually in the car — killing people. Like other people would talk about a picnic or the weather.

He didn't seem like a Ladd Russo, lusting for violence and blood, but maybe a Vino? Less messy with his kills, of course. Or deep inside was he kind enough to actually be a Jacuzzi Splot? Rolling carefully onto her other side, Tsuna looked into the darkness where she knew Reborn was sleeping, his form a vague lump under the sheets. He had helped her out, but that was because it's his job, not from the goodness of his heart. No. Definitely not a Jacuzzi. Vino was probably the closest, as self-centered and results driven as he was. Her mind couldn't help but wonder if he'd even know the references she was making. If he did, would he be offended?

Part of her wanted to wake him up just to find out, but something about the idea of waking up a hitman didn't seem good for her overall health and wellbeing.

Shifting onto her back, Tsuna frowned up at the ceiling. It was rather disturbing, the thought of one day being on the receiving end. Of having Reborn's bullet shoot through her body, ending her life possibly without her even knowing it. Her mind could picture it all too clearly, the way her body would crumple to the ground just like those men. Would the bullet go through her head, or perhaps lodge itself in her heart?

Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, covered her body. Death. That wasn't something she was ready for. There were so many things she wanted to do, to see. She wanted to finish her vacation, go home to see her mom and friends, have lots more adventures…

The sound of a car door slamming outside made Tsuna jerk and freeze. Several heartbeats later she dared to breath again. This was ridiculous. She was letting her mind get the best of her. It was just a car. Slowly, as quietly as she could, Tsuna pushed back the covers and sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

Tiptoeing, she skirted the walls of the room, using her arm and the faint red light from the alarm clock as her guide in the heavily shadowed room. She made slow progress, overly paranoid as she was, and if she made sure to stay as far away from Reborn's bed as possible, that was her own business. Hitman and darkness just didn't sound like a good combo in her head.

Eventually, she found the doorway to the bathroom. Slipping inside, she closed the door without a sound before daring to feel for the lightswitch. Flipping it on, she blinked at the sudden brightness of the fluorescent light. In the mirror it gave her skin, cold and clammy as it was, a sickly pallor. A stark contrast against her now short, jet black hair.

Fumbling with one of the wrapped cups on the counter, Tsuna winced at the noise of the plastic. It seemed so loud in the silent bathroom. Once the cup was free, she filled it with cold water and sat down on the lid of the toilet to sip at it. Her hands shook slightly, sloshing the water around inside the cup, almost spilling it over the side.

What was she going to do?

She could act all she wanted — she had the skill after all — but it didn't change the facts. Facts like she was terrified that her life was now tied up with the Italian mafia. What did that even mean? If it was anything like the movies, it didn't mean anything good.

Power, money, deals made, deals broken...backstabbing and deadly revenge… She knew the deadly part was accurate if nothing else. What place did she have in a world like that? Blood and gore and bullets.

She almost dropped the cup.

Taking another shaky sip, Tsuna swirled the water around in her mouth before swallowing loudly. Too loudly. She hadn't seen any women among the goons yesterday. Were women uncommon? She knew better than to rely too much on movies and books, but in mafia films the women often existed to become hostages, playthings, and occasionally as messengers.

None of those sounded like great options to her. Okay, maybe being a messenger wouldn't be too bad. You know, as long as people didn't shoot the messenger; which, in movies, happened quite a lot. How inconvenient. In the real world, wouldn't they run out of messengers if they always did that?

Reborn had said she was one of two remaining heirs. Heirs to a legacy built on blood that she knew nothing about. Would they really let an outsider like her inherit if it came to it? Or would she be nothing more than a puppet on a string, an ornamental queen?

Water sloshed over the cup startling her. Gingerly setting the cup on the edge of the counter, Tsuna wiped her hand off with one of the provided towels. Her arms folded over her stomach as she bent in half. The towel found its way to her mouth to stifle any sobs as tears ran down her face. _That_ was what frightened her. Not Reborn, but the actual mafia machine, and her unknown place in it.

She just wanted to go home. Home… Tsuna let out a choked laugh. What she wouldn't give for a magic pair of ruby red slippers right about now.

But, she didn't have a pair of magic slippers. She had herself with all her wit and skills, and she had Reborn, professional assassin and world's greatest hitman. That had to count for something. No, _she'd make it count_ for something. Buddha once said: "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment".

She couldn't change that information about her had been leaked, couldn't change how her trip to Italy placed her nearer the danger. Even with her imagination, she couldn't begin to guess at the future, but this moment… this here and now… that was something she could handle.

Feeling her tears slow and her breathing steady, Tsuna slowly sat back up. It took several tries to clear her nose of the built up mucus. She reached for the cup still half filled with water, but misjudged and knocked it over instead. The water spilled over the counter and down the slope to the drain at the bottom of the sink.

Righting the cup, Tsuna took a long slow breath and let it out even slower. Was this what people meant when they said it felt like they had the weight of the world on their shoulders? Giving a short dry chuckle, Tsuna shook her head. The crying hadn't fixed any of her problems, hadn't magicked her home like a pair of red shoes, and her feelings hadn't changed. But, her thoughts were much clearer now. It had been needed, cathartic. Now, she could move forward.

She'd trusted her gut so far, so she wouldn't stop now. She wasn't a fool. Sure, she'd changed her appearance, but that didn't guarantee safety, and always relying on others was foolish. No, if she was going to survive — now, and in the future — she needed to learn how to take care of herself in the mafia world.

Her mind drifted to Reborn. Who better to learn from than the best...right?

Getting up on tired legs, Tsuna stared herself down in the mirror. She knew how to observe the people around her — it was one of the most important acting lessons she'd learned. The fact that she'd now be observing a hitman — because she doubted Reborn would simply teach her — didn't change anything. The consequences if she failed were just a lot more... _dire_.

Turning on the faucet, Tsuna got a drink and splashed some cold water on her face then dried it off with a towel. She could — No. She _would_ do this, and she'd do it so well that even Reborn, _world's greatest hitman_ , would have to be impressed.

Turning off the water, Tsuna cleaned up the little mess from the spill. Folding the towel she placed it neatly on the countertop. She took several more deep breaths to finish calming herself and to still the jitters in her limbs. The last thing she needed was to walk out of the bathroom and trip or knock something over and wake up Reborn.

When she felt ready, Tsuna flicked the light off, giving her eyes several long moments to adjust to the darkness before she opened the door. She'd only taken a few steps when she felt the hairs on her neck stand on edge.

The room was just as dark as before, Reborn's figure still a shadowed, faceless lump on the bed, but she just _knew_. Knew that in that darkness Reborn was awake, and he was _staring directly at her_. She felt her mouth go dry, and resisted the urge to swallow, knowing that the sound would be all too loud in the stillness of the room. For an instant she swore she saw a gleam of yellow but then it was gone. Interesting.

Doing her best to keep her steps casual and silent she retraced her original path from the bed back to it, once again staying as far from Reborn as the walls and furniture would allow. Looks like she'd been right: a hitman plus a dark room did not equal good things, not for her peace of mind, at least. She felt his eyes follow her the entire time, judging, but for what she didn't know.

It was only as she settled back into bed that she felt the intense pressure ease. Adjusting the pillows and sheets, she tried to get comfy, her body feeling like it was filled with lead.

"Better?"

Tsuna froze in surprise. She hadn't expected him to speak, and his voice seemed deeper, more full than before. Was it because he'd been sleeping? "Uhm...yeah, I think so," she whispered back. "Or, at least my head is clearer now." Had he been awake the whole time? Or had she made some noise in the bathroom that had woken him?

Reborn let out a low hum, the rest of the pressure disappearing. Rolling over to look at her companion, Tsuna stifled a yawn, a thought occurring to her.

"Hey, Reborn?"

"Go back to sleep."

"I just wanted to know if you've ever watched Baccano."

"No. Now go to sleep."

Tsuna frowned. She couldn't get the answer to her question if Reborn had never seen the series. "That's too bad. I think you'd really like it." Letting out another yawn she gave a shrug. "Oh well. Night, Reborn." Closing her eyes, she snuggled into her pillow, a wave of unexpected warmth coaxing her to sleep. Because of that she nearly missed Reborn's low murmur.

"You're a strange one, but you almost got past me, Mouse. Not bad." It sounded like he was smirking.

 _[The Great Ruckus]_

When Tsuna woke again it was to soft light creeping around the edges of the curtains. Morning had come, but it still looked to be early. Blinking, she raised a hand to rub away the goop in the corners of her eyes. She'd slept better than she expected though she'd probably only gotten a few hours of sleep. What had woken her up so early though? She tended to sleep in a bit without an alarm.

Sitting up she looked over at Reborn's bed. It was empty, so he was already up. Maybe that's what had woken her. His hat was still sitting next to the bed, so she guessed he was probably in the bathroom. Now that she was listening, she could hear the shower running.

Since she'd showered the night before, Tsuna used the opportunity to get dressed. She didn't have any other guy clothing at the moment — something she would need to remedy soon — so she just put on the slacks and shirt she'd worn the day before. She left the shoes, vest and tie for later; instead, she put in her contacts, sat down at the table, and pulled out her kit to start working on her face.

She heard the shower turn off, and several minutes later Reborn appeared, toweling his hair dry. Glancing up from putting on the finishing touches, Tsuna quickly looked away again. He hadn't put on a shirt yet, walking around in just his slacks, and she was just going to forget the...yep, nope. Erasing that.

"You're up earlier than I thought you'd be, Mouse," Reborn hummed as he set his towel down to dry and reached for his shirt. Using her compact mirror to triple checked that she hadn't missed anywhere, Tsuna closed it with a snap and started putting her kit away.

"First last night, and now just barely — Why are you calling me Mouse?"

Reborn's eyebrows raised before he shrugged. Was she not supposed to have heard that last night? "It's because you are one." Buttoning up his shirt, Reborn gave Tsuna a look like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And besides the fact that you don't look like you anymore, using your real name out loud is a bad idea." Tsuna supposed he had a point. Her name wasn't a common one, and would definitely stand out here in Italy.

"That's another thing," Reborn said as he crossed the room in a couple of strides. Tsuna resisted the urge to squirm as he stared intently down at her, eyes searching, but for what she didn't know. "We need something to call you."

Tsuna blinked, then smiled. "You can call me Leon." It was a shortened version of chameleon that she'd used once or twice before, a quiet reminder of home and friends and who she really was. Something flashed through Reborn's eyes. Surprise, maybe?

"No."

"Why? Is something-"

"Because _I said so_ , Mouse." Reborn pinned her with a sharp glare, the pressure from the night before returning. "Now, pick something else or I'll pick for you." Willing herself not to look away because she _needed_ to learn how he did that, Tsuna slowly nodded and took a deep breath.

"Alright, how about Leo then?"

"I said different, Mouse."

"But it is," Tsuna protested, narrowing her eyes to try and glare back at Reborn. It didn't seem very effective. "It's missing a letter, and the o doesn't even make the same vowel sound. We can even say it's short for Leonardo." They stared at each other for several long moments before one edge of Reborn's lips quirked up in a smirk.

"Fine." Letting out a chuckle, he turned away. "Leo Orfanelli it is."

Tsuna tilted her head to the side. Orfanelli? She had a feeling she was missing out on a joke as Reborn picked up his hat and put it on.

"Finish getting ready, Leo," Reborn called over his shoulder as he walked towards the door. "I'll go get us breakfast."

"Sure thing," Tsuna called back, voice dropping down into Leo's warm tenor. "But I'm starving, so make sure to bring a lot back with you." Reborn held up a hand in acknowledgement before the door swung shut behind him.

Slumping into the chair after Reborn had gone, Tsuna let out a long sigh. Reborn's mood swings from amicable to hitman and back again were going to take some getting used to. But, if she could learn how to exert pressure like he could, with a single look? Now, _that_ would be something useful.

Letting out a quiet laugh, Tsuna shook her head. And she'd thought her mom's glares the rare times she got mad were bad. Her mom… No, it didn't help to dwell on things she couldn't control. To give her something else to think about, she finished packing up her kit and repacked her travel bag. Now that she wasn't in such a rush, she could organize a lot better and make room for another outfit or two so she didn't have to always wear the same thing.

Not in the mood to deal with Reborn's mood swings again before breakfast, Tsuna put on her shoes and vest after styling her hair. She was working on the tie when Reborn came back with a tray laden with food and a newspaper. He'd listened to her request after all. Setting the tray down on the table, Reborn gave her a frown.

"Who taught you how to tie a tie?"

"My friend's older brother…" Tsuna looked down at the piece of fabric confused. Was something wrong? She started when Reborn suddenly invaded her personal space, his hands seizing the piece of fabric and undoing the knot she'd made.

"Watch," he said coolly, and Tsuna watched as he used a completely different way to make the knot. It was much fancier than what Ryohei had shown her. As he cinched the knot up to the shirt's collar, he tapped her chin with his knuckle, making her look up into his face.

"This knot suits the style you are wearing much better."

Looking back down at the knot, Tsuna ran through the motions in her mind again. She'd never bothered to learn more than one way to tie a tie. She hadn't been aware that different knots went with different styles. "Cool, thanks."

Giving the knot its final adjustments, she tucked the tie into her vest. If he taught her something like this of his own accord, maybe she could get him to agree to teach her other things.

"I thought you were starving?" Shaking herself out of her stupor of thought, Tsuna joined Reborn at the table. Breakfast in Italy was different than what she was used to back home. Reborn had piled plates high with fresh fruits and croissants. There were a few sandwiches as well with a large glass of orange juice for her and a cup of coffee for Reborn.

The two ate in silence for a bit. Reborn had taken the newspaper he'd brought up and was busy reading through it while nursing his coffee and a couple croissants. It felt oddly normal, like any regular old breakfast, and Tsuna supposed it was. Just because the mafia had come crashing into her life the day before didn't mean everything had to change. Even better, she had someone to keep her company now.

Finishing off her fifth croissant, Tsuna brushed the crumbs from her fingers and took several sips of her orange juice. She felt a lot better with food in her stomach. The last time she'd eaten had been lunchtime the day before at the pizzeria. The thought made her mouth water. She would never be able to eat pizza anywhere else in her life again.

Thinking about it made Tsuna sigh. She'd planned to spend several days in Naples touring all the sights. Today she would have been going on tours of all the old castles like Nuovo, dell'Ovo, and Sant'Elmo.

"Are you always this depressing?"

"What? No!" Tsuna started, sending Reborn a look over the top of the paper. "I was just thinking about the plans I'd had for today." A raised eyebrow was sent her way, but Tsuna waved it off. "It's not like it matters anymore. Wherever we are, it's definitely not Naples. Speaking of…" Tsuna trailed off, looking at Reborn to see if he'd give her an answer. He just stared blandly back at her and lazily turned a page in the paper.

Tsuna had the feeling she was in for a long day, starting with pulling teeth from the cocky rooster sitting across from her. That is to say, that she was fairly certain there was no way she could pry information out of Reborn, and anything that he let her know would be on purpose. "Reborn, where are we?"

Closing the newspaper and folding it up to set it on the table, Reborn smirked. "I thought you'd never ask." Leaning forward, he rested his chin on steepled fingers.

"We're in Rome."

* * *

 _ **RESEARCH NOTES**_ \- google and blogs on Italy were my best friends (again, and for always with this story)

 **Dashboard without a clock** \- older cars; especially sports cars, would often forego having a clock in order to have a sleeker looking dashboard or to fill the space with gauges instead. Aftermarket parts and radios may have clocks built in.

 **Orfanelli** \- Esposito is a last name which is quite common with those children in Italy who were abandoned, orphaned or given for adoption. In Latin, the word "exponere," indirectly refers to 'leave outside'. In other words, it means an orphan, as abandoned children were generally left on the church's steps. Other similar names linked to this practice included 'orfanelli', which means little foundling, a name which is very common in Naples.

Basically, Leo Orfanelli can be loosely translated in a few ways. Leo means lion, and lions are cats. Little foundling cat. Orphan cat aka: Stray cat. In Reborn's view, he's calling Tsuna a little stray cat (or, little cat = kitten) that he picked up or 'found' in Naples.

 **Baccano** \- Ladd Russo, Vino, and Jacuzzi Splot are all characters from this anime. It was originally a light novel that was adapted. I've never read the light novel but I enjoyed the anime a lot. Baccano means ruckus, so yes, I'll admit I got some inspiration for not just the title, but the story from this.

Plot summary: Each of the stories in the series involves several unrelated plots intersecting and crossing each other as events spiral farther and farther out of control. Immortal alchemists, mafia operated speakeasies, and many other elements of pulp fiction mashed together for a world straight out of the movies. (16 episodes. It's rated R - 17+ for violence and profanity)

I figured that while Reborn may be versed in movies and literature, Japanese anime is something he probably wouldn't bother with, but in tribute to canon Tsuna, this Tsuna also likes manga and anime.

 **Breakfast in Italy** \- Breakfast in Italy is not a huge meal like it is elsewhere. It usually includes espresso made at home with a stove top moka, milk, dunking biscuits or bread, fresh fruit or juice. If you like to have breakfast at your neighborhood café, it's either cappuccino and a croissant, or a simple espresso, fresh squeezed orange juice (in winter, when the oranges are good only) and perhaps a savory sandwich.

 **Mouse** \- ever heard of the saying quiet as a mouse?

 **Pulling teeth from a rooster** \- roosters don't have teeth, so you can't pull them. It's pretty much a way of saying something is impossible. Now, putting socks on a rooster on the other hand just means it's going to be really hard.

* * *

 _ **END NOTE**_

A more introspective chapter, but I hope you enjoyed a look at Tsuna's thought processes. I was looking for a good balance of dealing and coming to terms with things without being overly panicky or woe-is-me or who-cares-I'm-just-going-to-suddenly-adapt-and-accept-everything-as-normal. I spent a lot of time trying to get this right, so I'd love any feedback on what went well and what didn't so I can continue to improve.


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